Who can help you?
There are multiple support offerings to assist with your return to work, including support from a rehabilitation provider.
On this page
Key takeaways
- There are multiple support offerings to assist with your return to work, such as:
- rehabilitation provider support
- mediation
- SIRA return to work initiatives.
Rehabilitation provider
A workplace rehabilitation provider can assist with supporting your return to work and recovery. Your case manager or employer will in most cases decide which company will be referred, although, you can be consulted on the decision and given the opportunity to input into the company used. After your insurer has made a referral, you will be contacted by a rehabilitation consultant.
A rehabilitation consultant is an allied health professional such as a rehabilitation counsellor, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist or exercise physiologist. The rehabilitation consultant can assist with any return-to-work barriers in your recovery, such as difficulty finding suitable work, delayed recovery or communication breakdown with your employer.
View SIRA's rehab provider search tool
Back to top ⇡What rehabilitation services can be provided?
Same employer
A rehabilitation consultant can assist with a single service or ongoing support for you to return to work in a supported manner. The rehabilitation consultant can assist with the following:
- Conducting assessments to review your ability to return to work in a safe manner.
- Identifying suitable employment to increase your capacity to work.
- Assistance with reviewing potential interventions to prevent further injury such as ergonomic reviews and equipment.
- Educating claim stakeholders regarding the benefits of returning to work in a durable manner.
New employer
Within workers compensation, most workers remain at work or return to work with their same employer. Although, there are some cases were this may not be possible.
A rehabilitation consultant may help with support finding new employment. Examples of rehabilitation assistance for new employment is listed below:
- Assessing your transferable skills, previous work experience and education to review potential work options.
- Providing you with job seeking assistance to find new employment.
- Reviewing your suitability to commence new training (when deemed appropriate as per SIRA guidelines).
- Reviewing your eligibility for SIRA-funded programs to support recovery at work such as Vocational Rehabilitation Programs and Recovery @ work mental health programs.
